Into Infinity: The Secret Keeper
by Shattered-Valor
Summary: How do people become who they are? They experience the hardships of life. Follow one man's journey, past to present, and see what he faced in order to become who he is now. "Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead." - Benjamin Franklin. A background exploration fic, set in an original universe by mooseman3.
1. Eight Years Ago

**Warning: Language, Violence**

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 **Secret Keeper**

 **Training**

 **Eight Years Ago: Scarmont Citadel**

"Stand your ground, you worthless dregs!" A woman shouted as she paced behind a long line of younger men and women. "None of you are leaving this courtyard until every single one of you can knock over your training dummy!"

Shivering at the harsh wind whipping at his back, Rainer continued to hit his target. **Bap! Bap! Bap!** _So,_ this _is the Osladan way of becoming strong..._ He pursed his lips and struck at the stone statue as hard as he could. **Bap! Crunch.** The hooded man hissed as he pulled his left hand close. _That's not going to be good, is it?_ His dark amber eyes made a quick sweep of the others around him. **Bap-bap-bap! Fwam! Fwam! Fwam! Crrick! Crrunch-crunch!** **THUNK!** All around him, Rainer heard his would-be comrades work to knock down their dummy; some succeeded while others miserably failed. A sickening symphony of sorrow and suffering soon filled the northern air.

Suddenly, a voice yelled from the down line. "These damned things are made of stone and twice our size! We can't knock them over with our _bare_ hands!"

The female officer twirled her whip around in her hands and ignored the shout. "If you have to bleed to do it, then by all means, _bleed_! Your king expects no less from his soldiers! We won't let anyone rest until your dummies are knocked down!"

 _I must strike harder!_ **FWAM!** Rainer took a deep breath as he jabbed the dummy's torso with his right hand. _Now for the left..._ **FWAM! Crrunch!** He screwed his eyes shut and bit back a pained cry. _No, I will_ not _show weakness. Especially here, of all places._ **CCRRRRUNCH!** To his left, he heard his would-be comrade cry out in agony. **Thud.**

"You there! Up on your feet this instant!"

Inhaling sharply, the hooded man spared a glance at his fellow recruit. Blood dripped down to the tiled floor as the other recruit cradled his wounded hand. **Clank-clank.** **Clank-clank.** Two armored men appeared behind the downed recruit. Snapping his attention back to his own dummy, Rainer experimentally curled and uncurled his left hand. _My movements are too stiff..._ He eyed the stone dummy once again and squared his shoulders. _Using brute force alone simply won't do; I must approach this from a different perspective!_

As the wind whipped at his body, Rainer focused solely on the figure before him: an imposing training dummy made in the image of a knight. It towered over him, easily dwarfing him even at a height of six foot eight inches. _Doesn't help the fact that these things are spiked in some areas..._ Rolling his shoulders back, the hooded man sighed. _Everything possesses some sort of weakness. There_ must _be something I can—there!_ His focus lingered on a rather large crack on the statue's side. _How did I miss that?!_

 _My hands and arms can't handle more stress so maybe..._ Nodding at his course of action, the hooded man backed up two steps. _I hope this works._ He ran forward, teeth clenched in concentration. Pushing up off the ground, the momentum helped him as he sped for his target. His legs lifted off of the ground. Rainer made sure he lined up his kick with the weakness.

"Hyah!" **KLAMPH!** In an instant, Rainer dropped from his position in the air and fell on to the tile below.

Groaning as his side collided with the tile, he looked up at his training dummy. **Crreeak!** The stone knight tilted backwards before it landed back on its base. _Of course..._ The young man pushed himself off of the ground; his arms trembled from the effort. _I should've focused my attacks on that spot before attempting my kick._ An angry voice filled the air behind him, seemingly distant. Slowly turning toward the voice, he bowed his head to the officer.

"You insufferable _whelp_! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The sergeant crossed her arms. "Lying down on the job? After I said that _no one_ gets _any_ rest until all your dummies have fallen?"

Bowing his head, Rainer closed his eyes. "Forgive me, Sergeant. I made a mistake."

"Fool!" Sneering, the woman smacked him across the face with her spiked gauntlet. "You were given clear orders and yet you choose to disobey them?!"

 **Smack! Smack!** "I..." Blood dribbled down his cheek from a now open wound; the young man clenched his hands into fists. _A minor mistake and this happens?!_

The officer took note of his fists and shoved the young man back. "What do you think you're going to do? Fight back? You'll surely lose."

 _This goes against my better judgment._ Realizing his mistake, Rainer uncurled his hands.

"Bah, a whelp like you won't last here with an attitude like _that_." **FWAM!** Knocking the hooded man flat on his back, the sergeant leered menacingly over him. "Do you think you're going to get far if you can't even fight back?"

"I know my limits!"

Sneering once again, the sergeant kicked him in the side. "Yet you dare yell at an officer?!"

Growling, the hooded man hopped to his feet and tackled the officer. **THUD. CLANG.** The sound of flesh hitting stone died around them. _This is one_ hell _of a way to start my training..._ Rainer's eyes scanned the courtyard. Several heads turned toward the duo as the sergeant rose to her feet. Remembering the angry sergeant, Rainer turned his head to face her. **FWAM!** He winced, a jolt of pain suddenly ran through him. _I will not falter!_ Rainer shook his head and inhaled. The young man rose on to his own two feet and dropped into a fighting stance. _How dare she?! I will_ not _tolerate this; better judgment be damned!_

Before Rainer could react, a heavy object collided with his shoulder as the sergeant's voice filtered through his ears. "YOU!"

 **SLAM!**

"WORTHLESS!"

 **SMACK!** A sharp in take of breath from the young man.

"MISERABLE!"

 **SLAM!** _Augh!_ The hooded man collapsed for the fourth time.

"UNGRATEFUL!"

 **FWAM!** The sergeant stood over the fallen recruit with a fire in her eyes.

"DASTARD!"

 **Clank-clank.** "Sergeant Kruum, what's the issue here?" An older man clad in bulky, black plate armor approached with a gangly young man clad in sleek black armor at his side.

The sergeant's posture stiffened ever so slightly, before she turned her head toward the man. "Ah, Captain Chavdarov. I wasn't expecting your presence any time soon."

Captain Chavdarov curled the corners of his lips down. "I ought to see any prospective cavaliers, shouldn't I?"

"I suppose that isn't a problem," Sergeant Kruum crossed her arms and nodded to Rainer. "I wouldn't recommend _this_ dreg."

"Why not?"

Scoffing, Sergeant Kruum gestured to the wounded heap on the ground once again. "He disobeyed my orders. Not only that, but he talked back! Osladan officers shouldn't deal with such behavior."

The gangly man tilted his head curiously, "Good woman. Pray tell, what _were_ his orders?"

"Same as everyone else: knock down his damned statue."

Pursing his lips, the gangly man nodded. "I see. What if he were to, say, break the statue?"

"I'd sooner run into the castle in my small clothes than ever see a recruit break one of these statues." Sergeant Kruum crossed her arms indignantly.

"I suggest you retract that statement before you turn around then."

Kruum narrowed her eyes, grumbling about the gangly man's cheeky behavior. On the ground, the hooded man gazed up at his training dummy. _She's right. No one could honestly break a statue._ Rainer's eyes focused on the bits of stone crumbling off of the statue's side. **Clunk!** A large chunk of the statue fell on to the tile before him. _I-impossible... That shouldn't have worked._ A gasp off to the side followed after his realization.

The hooded man's gaze turned to Captain Chavdarov, who simply chuckled. "It's bound to happen these days. We've been using this statues since _I_ was a young man."

As the sergeant mumbled to herself in bewilderment, the gangly man knelt down beside Rainer. "Congrats on stumping the sergeant on your first day."

"I...That...It's unthinkable." The fallen man gestured to the broken statue.

"Hell," Shrugging, the gangly man eyed the statue for a moment. "I bet if everyone tried as hard as you did, they'd break off a piece of their statue too. My father's not wrong in saying these things are old."

 _I suppose then, I can only measure this event up to being luck._ "Huh..."

"Well, you're in the same boat as me then. Not everyone gets on the sergeant's bad side as quickly as you and me, eh? I'm Gideon, Gideon Chavdarov." The gangly, redhead offered his hand.

Nodding with a wary smile of his own, the hooded man took hold of the offered hand, "Rainer Schermer."

"Rainer, eh? My friend is going to have fun with your name for sure. Say, let's go see how she's doing with her dummy right now."

As he got on to his feet, Rainer rolled his shoulders back with a wince. "Might I know who this friend of yours is, Gideon?"

"Patience, Rainer, she'll want to introduce herself to you."

The hooded man limped after Gideon as they left the captain and the sergeant alone. _I need to remain wary. Friendly man or not, this Gideon may turn out to be my worst nightmare..._ Rainer's eyes darkened as he followed close behind the gangly redhead. His eyes traveled to the other recruits who went back to their assignment. **Bap! Bap! Crrunch!** A cry of pain erupted from a young woman who attempted to use her elbow. **Bam! Bam! BAM!** The woman next to the injured party threw a series of other kicks and punches at her statue. The statue collapsed on to the ground after she threw a haymaker. **Crrack-crack!** As the knight statue collided with the tiled floor, it crumbled at its base. _Breaking a part of my statue was enough for me...but for her to knock it over_ and _break it..._ Rainer averted his gaze immediately. _She could seriously wound me in a spar._

Gideon looked to the woman who knocked her statue over. "Great job, Adeline! Can't wait to see that strength of yours on the field!"

"Thanks, Chavdarov!" The woman, Adeline, responded as she wiped blood off of her knuckles. "When are _you_ gonna knock one of these things over? Daddy can't coddle you forever."

The redhead laughed off the insult. "I'll punch these things bare handed when you can cast half as many spells as I can!"

"Not in your lifetime." Adeline grinned before turning her gaze on Rainer. "Nice job on being the first to break your statue, Schermer. Hope that strength is as good against a live opponent."

Calmly meeting the woman's gaze, Rainer slightly shook his head. "I'm not strong at all... I wouldn't last long in a spar against you, Adeline."

Adeline scoffed. "Not everyone will break their statue today, you know. You might throw a girly punch, but those kicks of yours aren't something to scoff at."

"Thank you," Glancing at his aching legs, the hooded man pursed his lips. _I suppose my previous training worked in that regard then... Did she_ have _to call my punches girly?_ "I'll start focusing more on my kicks in the future."

"Good!" Nodding, the woman turned back around to sit on her fallen statue.

Gideon nudged the hooded man in the shoulder before gesturing to a mint-haired woman standing at the end of the row. "Let's not keep my friend waiting."

Rainer nodded his head, trailing behind the redhead. _I'm getting too comfortable around these people._ Holding a hand to his side, the hooded man inhaled sharply. He stifled a pained groan as someone bumped passed him. _Inconsiderate dastard._ Dark amber eyes sent a venomous glare back at the person, only to see him disappear. Frowning, Rainer turned back around to see Gideon eyeing him curiously. _If he didn't see the other man, then I must look like quite the fool._ Averting his eyes once again, the hooded man kept his focus on the snow-covered, tiled floor.

"Are you sparing a glance back at Adeline?"

"Of course not, we've only met once." Rainer protested, glaring at the redhead. "Besides, I'm not interested in romance."

Gideon chuckled before turning back around. "Of _course_ , you aren't."

 _What on earth is that green blur?!_ Before the hooded man could respond, the mint-haired woman from earlier tackled Gideon in a hug. "You came to visit!"

"Ah, there you are." Turning his attention on to the person latched around his torso, the redhead good-naturedly patted her on the head.

"Who's your new friend?" Magenta eyes peered up at the taller, hooded man and narrowed at the sight of his cross expression. " _Giddy_ , are you bothering this poor guy?!"

Feigning injury to his heart, the redhead pouted. "Perish the thought, my dear. I'm only making conversation."

"It sure isn't pleasant then!" The woman chided before bounding over to the hooded man.

 _She's awfully...energetic and calls Gideon, 'Giddy?'_ Rainer looked down at her, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Greetings, Miss...?"

Mint green-haired woman grinned. "I'm Hadriana Acerbi, but you can call me Haddie!"

"Well then," The hooded man respectfully bowed his head. "Greetings, Haddie."

"I can tell right now. You, me, and Giddy are going to the best of friends!" Looping her arm with Rainer's, the woman yanked Gideon into the human chain.

Gideon snorted, "Was there ever any doubt?"

 _Wait, what?_ "Don't I get a say in all this?"

"Nope," Haddie removed herself from the chain and winked up at the tall man. "I've got a sixth sense about people, you know."

 _She's insane._ Rainer subtly backed away from the duo. His eyes flicked back and forth between them. _I don't want to stick around for any of this nonsense._ The hooded man curled and uncurled his hands. _They_ seem _nice, but... I can't risk approaching anyone here with open arms._ Nodding to himself, Rainer steeled his nerves. _Either I stick around and see where this leads me, or I can leave and hopefully never be bothered by them ever again._ He began turning away, only to feel a firm hand grab on to his wounded shoulder.

"Come now, Rainer. Let's be gentlemen and wait for Haddie knock or break her statue, eh?"

Sighing, the hooded man spun back around, "Very well." _I suppose I'm stuck with seeing how this turns out._

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 **I previously submitted this story a while back and then took it down. It needed edits and I believe readers deserve to read the best an author has to offer. I know not many read the notes after, but I honestly apologize for my mistakes.  
**

 **A Background Exploration fic. Granted, some creative liberties may be taken here. It will take some time to reach the end, but please note this fic follows the personality progression of my OC. His change over the years is a deliberate thing and the focus is solely on major turning points.**

 **Thank you for reading! Rainer's journey to who he is now is far from over.**


	2. Six Years Ago

**Warnings: Language and Violence**

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 **Riding Exercise**

 **Six Years Ago: Snow Fields**

"Come now, Gideon, I didn't take you for a man who doesn't know how to ride." Bringing his horse to a trot, Rainer glanced back at his comrade.

Frowning, the redhead spurred his horse to trot alongside the other man. "Strider is being temperamental today. She wasn't groomed the right way yesterday."

"Blaming it on your dear steed's attitude," Rainer jeered with a mirthful smile. "Ever the nobleman, my friend."

The redhead sent the other man a dirty look. "I speak the truth."

 _Consider this pay back for all the times you've teased me, then._ "Of _course_ , you do."

"Why do I feel there is irony in this conversation?" Gideon wondered aloud, his face nearly split in two from his ever-growing grin.

The two men shared a knowing look. Within seconds, the redhead's composure gave way to his bubbling laughter. He slapped a hand across his knee before reaching over to his friend and nudging him in the shoulder. Rainer's laughter erupted up from deep within his chest. He wiped a happy tear from his eye. _Ironic conversation indeed!_

"Wait up for me, you two!" A woman clad in heavy leather armor hurried her horse along. "I could've gotten lost if I didn't hear your laughter."

"Forgot your compass again, dear Hadriana?" Running a hand through his hair, Gideon smirked back at the woman.

"Not my fault Sergeant Stick-Up-My-Bum woke us up at an unholy hour." The mint green-haired woman grumbled, "And for the last time, Giddy, call me Haddie!"

Rainer chuckled at his friend's grumpy response to Haddie's nickname for him. _Thank the gods I've been blessed with such interesting friends._ He adjusted his helmet, feeling the metal become slightly uncomfortable. _I can't believe we even_ became _friends. I don't think I would've lasted long in the Osladan Army without them._ Tightening the grip on his horse's reins, Rainer spurred his horse ahead of the others. _I need to focus on riding to our destination._ _If none of us focus, then none of us will—!_ Beneath his helmet, his ears twitched. Through the howling winds, a faint shout stood out. His head turned towards the origin of the cry.

"Hyah!" Spurring his horse along once more, Rainer hurried to the sound. **Tabdak-tabdak!**

"Whoa, whoa! Wait up, Rainy!"

"What's gotten into you, Schermer?!"

Coming to a stop on top of a hill, Rainer's amber eyes focused on a small group beyond him. _Group of four, suspiciously hooded._ His eyes snapped movement on the right. _Large group behind them, closing distance. Judging by their clothes, they're a bunch of bandits._ **Tabdak-tabdak! Tabdak-tabdak!** At last, the other two reached him. A glance behind him revealed Gideon and Haddie with unimpressed expressions.

"Idiot, what on earth are you thinking? Charging ahead without so much as a word!" Gideon smacked the other man upside the head. "Actions like that normally kill a man!"

"Yeah, Rainy, you could've at least shouted something. I'd hate to see one of my friends get hurt, especially if I can help stop it." Haddie pursed her lips as she gripped her horse's reins.

Shaking his head, Rainer gestured to the groups in the distance. "Shall we head out and deal with a potential bandit attack?"

"Bandits, eh?" Gideon cupped his hands over his eyes as he peered in the distance. "Twelve, maybe fifteen of them versus three of us."

Haddie's eyes glinted with excitement at the news. "Ooh, _bandits_! Now if we had a commanding officer to oversee us, it'd be our time to shine!"

 _She's always thinking about rising in the ranks isn't she?_ Rainer sighed heavily and prepared his lance. Clearing his throat, the young man turned his head to the others. Two pairs of eyes focused on him yet again, this time different expressions rested on their faces. Haddie glowed with excitement burning brightly in her magenta eyes. Gideon calmly brushed a hand through his medium length hair to put up an image of aloofness, but his lips curled into a self-assured smirk. _I can only hope he isn't planning on organizing the battle. His tactics are...not always up to par._ Noting their expressions, the tall man sighed. _Well, whatever reasons either of them have for fighting, I hope they will at least agree to stopping these bandits._ Rainer nodded his head and pointed to the bandits who were closing in on the group of four.

"We'll need to deal with them before any of those travelers get hurt." Noticing the smirk which grew wider on his friend's face, Rainer focused on the redhead. "I assume you have a plan in mind, Gideon?" _His plans are better than nothing, I suppose._

"You _could_ say that." Gideon responded as he pulled out his tome.

"Come on, come on! Out with it already," Haddie whined as she nocked an arrow in her bow. "They're gonna get away!"

 _We cannot afford to waste time!_ Rainer shifted in his saddle, "I agree. Spit the plan out already, Gideon! Lives are on the line here!"

Rolling his eyes, Gideon motioned to the sword-wielding bandits rushing towards the travelers. "Rainer, be swift and intercept those three. Haddie will—"

Without waiting to hear the rest of his friend's plan, the lance-wielder spurred his horse forward. _Gods give me strength!_ Rainer pointed the tip of his lance at one of the bandit's chest as he rushed by him. **CLANG!** Metal clashed against metal. The unfortunate bandit cried out in pain as he fell onto his back. While the fallen ruffian choked on his own blood, the other two sword-wielders focused on the cavalier. One of them leaped forward; his sword aimed at Rainer. **Clank!** Having struck true, the bandit returned to his place beside his comrade. _The dastard..._ Rolling his shoulder back, Rainer guided his horse out of the second bandit's attack before he lunged again.

In the distance, Rainer noted his comrades' progress. **Twang! Twang!** Haddie rode gracefully to her targets, letting loose as many arrows as she could while she advanced. **Vvwaa-boom! Vvwaa-boom!** Meanwhile, Gideon remained a few paces away from his opponents. Blast after blast of magic left his tome to his surprised enemies. _My friends are fighting as hard as they can! I mustn't fall behind._ An energizing feeling erupted inside of Rainer's chest. He rushed forward and struck one of the bandits down in a spray of blood.

"You Osladan scum! The Crown's dogs _always_ get in the way!" A loud voice boomed across the field.

Gazing toward the voice, Rainer noted a distant figure riding on a wyvern. _We are incapable of dealing with_ that _with our current skills and experience._

"Gotcha!" Remembering the nearby bandit, Rainer felt a sword pierce a weak point in his armor.

Loosening his hold on his horse's reins, the man fell off his steed. _I...I got careless again..._ Rainer groaned and let his lance roll out of his right hand. He clutched the wound with a sharp intake of breath. _How could I? My focus is usually better..._ Gritting his teeth, the amber-eyed man glared up at the approaching bandit. The final sword-wielder leered over him with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"RRRAAHH!"

 _I refuse to die like this!_ Adrenaline thrumming through him, Rainer grasped his lance. _Just a little closer..._ The bandit became even closer, ready to chop off the soldier's head. Shoving the tip of his lance up, Rainer narrowed his eyes. **Schlick!** A pair of stunned green eyes met with calm but determined pools of amber. Letting out a wet cough, the bandit attempted to move from his impalement. Rainer drove the lance even further through the bandit as he got back on to his feet. **SSSCCCHHLICK!** He let go of his lance and shoved the body to the side before climbing on to his horse.

Once he regained his bearings, the tip of a lance appeared between his eyes before he could draw his bow. "You kids have an awful habit of getting into more trouble than is intended for your training exercise."

"C-Captain Chavdarov!" Rainer let loose a breath he didn't realize he held as the lance lowered.

"Taking care of three soldiers ought to be a warm up for you, Schermer, not a work out." Twirling the weapon around, the captain handed the lance over before pulling out his axe. "Come on now, let's finish these rabble-rousers off."

Nodding, Rainer followed after the great knight after mentally preparing himself. _The weather will numb my wound and we can patch it up at Scarmont. Shallow or not, I can't let this stop me._ **Tabdak-tabdak! Tabdak-tabdak!** As the two rode side-by side, the younger man struck out against his enemies. His lance pierced through most of those he encountered, until an axe-wielder stood in his path. _I won't lose to_ this _tactic again!_ Urging his steed to jump back, Rainer narrowly dodged the blade of the bandit's axe. He charged forward in retaliation. **Cl-clang!** _Damn, his defense is good..._ Rolling his shoulder back, the man eyed his opponent.

His opponent smirked before leaping forward again. **Shhik!** Wincing, Rainer growled and shook his head while his enemy jumped away. The cavalier held a hand to his bleeding left cheek. _Two wounds in one skirmish? My father wouldn't have approved of this at all..._ The man tightened his grip on his lance and charged forward, nearly spearing the axe-wielder's head off. As the bandit rolled out of the way, a flash of light appeared in the distance. **Vvwaa-boom!** With a loud, agonized cry, the bandit burned to death.

Rainer tilted his head towards his rescuer. "My thanks, Gideon."

"Hey, I need _someone_ around to keep me sane."

Haddie appeared beside him, a few new marks on her armor, "How rude. I like to think I keep things from getting boring."

"True," Rainer chuckled before his ears twitched beneath his helmet again.

 **Clank-clank.** Captain Chavdarov strolled alongside his steed and eyed the three soldiers. "Today was _meant_ to be a riding exercise. All I needed to see was whether or not you three could ride without your mount kicking you off. However, today's events surpassed my expectations for this exercise. I commend you three for your quick action in response to these bandits."

"However, _some_ of us need to improve." Rainer murmured to himself. _Namely myself, of course. I've been reckless today..._

"You cannot learn a thing without hardship." The older redhead advised before nodding to the four travelers standing in the distance. "Now, what will you three do with them?"

Directing her horse to the travelers, Haddie trotted towards them. "Let's go see if they have anything to say!"

"W-wait, Haddie, my hair isn't fixed yet!" Gideon fretted as he straightened out his appearance. "I can't charm anyone with hair like this!"

Shaking his head good-naturedly, Rainer went ahead of his comrade. Once he joined Haddie and the travelers, he noted the change in the air. An uncomfortable tension rested on his shoulders. The hair on the back of his neck stood upright. _I don't like this..._ His eyes focused on the tall, hooded travelers to see black-striped arms showing beneath their cloaks. _Gods no..._ Two adults and two children stared up at the two horse riders.

"Thank you for your assistance." A thick Zoan lilt became evident in the tallest of the traveling Tigronians. "We cannot thank you enough."

Rainer watched on as Haddie's expression turned sour. "No need for thanks."

"Surely, we can do something?" The female Tigronian wondered as she reached for something from her satchel.

" _No_ ," Haddie's venomous tone managed to frighten the children. "I've done my part. Now do yours and leave."

The male Tigronian turned his gaze on to Rainer. "Will you not accept our thanks?"

 _Gods forgive me._ Rainer averted his gaze from the Tigronian.

"What's with the serious faces, ladies and gents?" Gideon slowly approached the group with an amiable smile.

"Please, accept this as a token of our thanks." The female Tigronian offered a jade brooch. "We purchased it from a hightown merchant in Pruaz years ago."

A flicker of emotions passed in Gideon's eyes once he saw her stripes; a sneer quickly formed on his features. "Keep your trinkets. I've no want for anything that's touched _your_ kind."

"But—"

"Leave _now_!"

Frowning, the male Tigronian looked to Rainer yet again. "You, you who has yet to speak. _Please_ , please say something."

Rainer kept his eyes on the distant horizon.

"We offer our best as thanks! Is that a crime here?" A desperate tone appearing in his accented voice.

"..."

Narrowing his eyes, the male Tigronian took the brooch from his wife and threw it to the ground. "Your kind make me _sick_."

Immediately, Rainer's eyes focused on the fiery man; he tuned out his comrades' angered shouts. _Please, just leave before_ they _react._

"You stand by and say nothing, believing you seem better than those who look down on us!" The Tigronian spat and began pulling his family away. "You are _worse_. You remain silent and let all this come to pass! People like you are lower than dirt, you dastard!"

Slowly, the Tigronian family turned away from the trio. Rainer brushed off his friends' words of comfort as he stared at the family's backs. _I'm..."lower than dirt," huh?_ His glassy gaze turned to the jade brooch on the snowy ground. He looked to his comrades to see Haddie nocking her bow once more. Gideon crossed his arms, a smug expression quickly replaced his previous frustration. The redhead's vibrant blue eyes glinted. _I've seen that look on our instructors before..._

"What are you two doing?!"

Haddie hummed happily. "We're going to make those creatures pay for saying that to you! No one gets away with disrespecting a member of the Osladan Army, right Giddy?"

"Of course. Those wretched creatures won't know what hit them."

Rainer blinked at them, his expression falling. "You have _no_ reason to do that! Let them leave!"

"Your kind heart is much too much, dear friend." Gideon chided as he glared at the group in the distance.

All at once, Rainer felt things around him blur. Haddie's arrows soared through the air faster than he could blink. **Twang! Twang! Twang! Twang!** Dark amber eyes watched on in horror as the Tigronian family fell. _Gods..._ As each family member fell, their cries seemed to echo within Rainer's ears. Even their bodies falling to the ground haunted him, as if he stood right next to them. The father. **BOOM!** The mother. **BOOM!** The children. **BOOM! BOOM!** Their deaths rang as loud as any thunder clap in the harshest storm in Oslad. _This isn't justice! It isn't right!_

"That is _murder_!" Rainer shouted, wildly gesturing to the fallen Tigronians. "They were innocents!"

Scoffing, Haddie shouldered her bow. "Don't be ridiculous, Rainy. Creatures like them are _never_ innocent."

"They were _defenseless_!"

" _Beasts_ like _them_ have no need for civilized weapons like we do, Rainer. Let's just get out of here, yeah?" Gideon turned his steed around and trotted towards his father.

Lowering his head, Rainer listened as Haddie turned her horse around as well. **Clop-clop.** He numbly climbed off his steed, walked over to the brooch, and knelt down to it. Grabbing the ornament, Rainer turned it over in his hand. _Gideon and Hadriana slew that family... Simply because they were Tigronian?_ He tightened his grip on the brooch. _They'll never truly be my friends then, will they? Especially if they'd go so far as to commit murder because they despise a race for existing at all..._ Shaking his head, Rainer put the brooch in his satchel and remounted his steed.

 _I shouldn't have trusted them; I was right to be wary of them two years ago._

* * *

Adjusting his grip on the reins, the amber-eyed man sighed. _I understand how some deaths are necessary, but..._ Rainer looked up to see the backs of Haddie and Gideon. _To go so far as to murder an_ entire _family..._ Narrowing his eyes, the young man straightened his posture. He focused on the distant outline of Scarmont Citadel.

"Are you alright, lad?" A voice to Rainer's left snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Captain Chavdarov," Nodding his head, the cavalier smiled politely at the older man. "Thank you for your concern, but I am fine."

The older man frowned and kept pace with Rainer. "Of course you are, lad. Care to tell me where you see yourself in the future?"

 _An easy enough question to answer._ "I hope to be a skilled fighter with a sharp mind off and on the field."

"Sharp mind, hm?" Captain Chavdarov spurred his horse to trot faster. "I can see it. However, I wasn't asking about yourself personally. I meant in regards to the military. Do you see yourself a part of the Challenger Division? The Vanguard Division? The Warmaster Division? The Lawbringer Division?"

Rainer tilted his head back and forth as he considered the question. "The Challenger Division is too direct for me in my opinion, as is the Warmaster Division. However, I might have a _chance_ in the Warmaster Division if I became stronger. I don't see myself in the Lawbringer Division at all, to be honest."

Chuckling, the captain glanced back at him, "What? You don't like the laws, lad?"

 _That's putting it nicely._ "Some laws make sense, but others get in the way of doing the right thing."

The young man sped up to the man's side. He gave the older man a curious glance. _He isn't going to yell at me for insubordinate thoughts? What an odd man._ Rainer rolled his shoulders back and focused once more on the journey ahead. _Lieutenant Graves should be nearby with the others..._ Before he could get on another train of thought, Rainer heard the captain clear his throat.

"Interesting perspective, lad. I suggest you hang on to that. So, do you see yourself as a part of the Vanguard Division?"

The young cavalier scoffed and shook his head. "I wouldn't be a good fit for it; I fall off my horse too much. Perhaps I can settle for one of the outposts."

Captain Chavdarov shook his head. "That's such a poor outlook, lad. I think you'd do fine in the Vanguard."

"Thank you, Sir." _I highly doubt my chances._

"You'll get better in time." Spurring his horse farther along, the captain caught up with the other two.

Rainer hummed thoughtfully. _I suppose there isn't any harm in trying._ His gaze found its way to Haddie and Gideon once again. _I might end up in the same division as_ those _two, but that's a poor excuse to not do my best._ He nodded resolutely and spurred his horse along.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, once again! Any constructive criticism? Any questions? Feel free to type out your thoughts.**


	3. Four Years Ago

**Warnings: Language and Violence**

* * *

 **Perspective**

 **Four Years Ago: Scarmont Citadel**

Rainer sighed as he adjusted the jade brooch which kept his cape around his shoulders. _I can't believe I made it this far._ He fixed the leather straps on his gauntlets and took another look over his dark grey armor. _I've finally earned my own armor set. It's far more comfortable than the standard issue the soldiers normally get._ Taking a deep breath, Rainer turned around and exited his room in the barracks. As he walked down the halls, he made sure to greet those he knew. A familiar woman in a suit of red plate armor with black accents caught his eye.

"Good morning, Miss Adeline." With a small smile, the man waved over to the strawberry blonde.

"Up early again, Schermer?" A woman called out as she made her rounds. "Congrats on making it to Vanguard Division Twenty-Four!"

"Thank you, Miss Adeline!" Rainer responded with genuine cheer; pride seeped into his dour mood. "I heard you got into Warmaster Division Two the other day."

"Was there ever any doubt?" Adeline paused to look at him and put a hand on her hip.

Chuckling heartily, the tall man crossed his arms behind his back. "I never doubted you for a moment, Madam."

Adeline shook her head as she continued on her rounds. "One of these days, I'm going to punch you out of your damned formality stint. What happened to the Schermer I first met?"

 _He matured and parts of him died inside._ Rainer's eyes darkened. His posture stiffened as he strode down the halls. _At least keep your head high, fool!_ Rainer straightened his back to accommodate his raised head. He passed by others he worked with at least once. _Agomar, Tenemov, Ralinda, Ga'Avar..._ _Good to know they survived training._ Rainer stroked the tuft of hair at his chin as he walked in thought. _Agomar, Tenemov, Ralinda have_ _yet to be sorted, last I heard._ **Thump.**

Stopping in his tracks to pick up the fallen book, Rainer directed his gaze to the person who dropped it. "Sorry about that, Master Gideon."

"Enough of _that_ nonsense, Rain." Gideon smiled as he grabbed the book from his friend's hands. "We've known each other for four years now."

"Best keep formalities up as we ascend in rank, Sir. We wouldn't want to upset our betters." Rainer clenched his teeth. _I don't want to be associated with scum like you._

Laughing, the redhead wrapped the taller man in a quick one-armed hug. "Just wait until we _become_ everyone's betters, Rain! You won't have to worry about all that formality nonsense."

 _Stay away from me._ Readjusting his helmet, Rainer stiffly shrugged. "I'd better continue on my way. Good day, Master Gideon."

"Ugh, fine. Just know, that one day, you'll drop the formalities again."

Once Rainer reached the outdoors, he greedily gulped in some fresh air. _That was unnecessarily stressful..._ Leaning forward on his knees, the tall man shut his eyes. _I need_ _to learn how deal with him and Haddie soon. We_ are _in the same division after all._ Taking a deep breath, Rainer stood upright once more. His amber eyes flicked from side-to-side as he scanned the courtyard. **Clunk-clunk.** Rainer looked to his right to see a barely armored man who stood at about his height. _I wonder if he's ever cold._ The other man wore large, metal shoulder pads which were connected to his belt by leather straps. Together, the straps formed an 'x' across his black striped chest. Half of the black stripes on his arms were covered by the metal gauntlets he wore.

"Greetings, Master Ga'Avar. How does it feel to finally be sorted into a division?"

"Captain Chavdarov is a good man, but being sorted feels as dull as everything else in this province," Ga'Avar snorted as he crossed his arms.

Rainer frowned and looked to the distant, snow-covered plains. "I'm sorry to hear that, Master Ga'Avar."

"Ever the formal one aren't you, Sir Rainer?" The Tigronian wondered as he tilted his head toward the cavalier.

"I'm no 'Sir' anything, Master Ga'Avar. My recent induction to the Vanguard means very little in terms of title." Rainer briefly met his comrade's gaze.

Shrugging his shoulders, the muscly Tigronian focused on the courtyard. "You are a knight like those of traditional stories, through and through. Hell, you even treat me as an equal, if not that then as someone better than you."

 _No one else will treat you like a person._ "I hold my comrades in high regard; you should know that by now."

"Of course," Ga'Avar nodded and turned to meet Rainer's eyes. "Why do you bother?"

"Hm?"

The Tigronian gestured to himself. "You treat me better than anyone else here. Other Tigronians in the Osladan Army, you treat so kindly. No petty insults or glares... Why is a human willing to treat Tigronians with respect?"

"I..." _He calls me human..._ "You are all people, people who have earned their place here just like everyone else. I refuse to treat anyone as less."

Ga'Avar frowned; his eyes searched Rainer's. "I see. I better get going; there's much I must do. Have a good day, Sir Rainer."

 _What did he see in my eyes? Does he know?_ "Good day, Master Ga'Avar."

 **Clunk-clunk.** Watching the other man leave, the cavalier turned and walked toward the nearby recruits. _I hope Sergeant Kruum is_ _well._ Rainer held his arms behind his back. _She's mellowed out over the years._ **Clack-clack.** He came to a stop near the trainees as they attempted to knock their statues to the ground. **Bap-bap! BAM! BAM! Crrrack! Crunch!** A familiar symphony of suffering and sorrow filled Rainer's ears. As one of the recruits cried in pain, he approached the overseeing sergeant.

"Hail, Sergeant Kruum!"

The woman with greying brown hair turned her head ever so slightly. "Ah, if it isn't Rainer Schermer. You're not up to any trouble are you?"

"Of course not, Ma'am. I've learned better than to remain the same." Rainer fell into place beside the officer. "Still the ever caring woman for her recruits, hm?"

Scoffing, Sergeant Kruum returned her focus to her trainees. She stood stiff and kept her hands clasped around her trusty, old, club-like whip. _Yep, definitely mellowed out._ Rainer watched as four other recruits fell to their knees in pain. His eyes caught sight of the few who managed to push their statues over. **BAM! FWAM! FWAM!** _Sometimes it feels like they get worse every year..._ The light in Rainer's eyes darkened. _They won't amount to much if they don't hone their skills._ A contemplative look appeared on his features. _Now, I know why our overseers yelled at us so much during our training. Recruits_ honestly _won't last unless they're pushed to the limit. Of course, I doubt any of the yelling comes from the bottom of any of our officer's hearts._

"You're more serious than I remember you being, Schermer." A sharp elbow jabbed in his side broke him from his thoughts.

 _She's as strong as ever..._ Wincing, the tall man glanced at the sergeant. "I've learned the benefits of taking things seriously and calmly. The new blood won't handle the north well if they can't knock over or break their statues."

"Hm," The woman crossed her arms. "That's helped you become apart of the Vanguard, eh?"

"Most likely, yes."

Nodding, the sergeant quirked a corner of her mouth up, "Good, good. You've surpassed my expectations, kid."

"Thank you," Rainer smiled and bowed his head. _Thank you for everything._

"I did what I was told, nothing more." Sergeant Kruum shoved his shoulder. "Besides, it's not like I lose hope in _all_ my trainees."

 _You're like a military mother in that sense, then._ The tall man hummed thoughtfully.

"Am I now?" Snorting, the woman shook her head and barked out a laugh. "That's the strangest thing I've heard in my entire career here."

Realizing his mistake, Rainer uncrossed his arms from behind his back and wiped his face with his hands. "Gods' Blood! I said that out loud, didn't I?"

After she cleared her throat and glared at the recruits who sent her strange looks, Sergeant Kruum patted him on the back. "Don't worry, Schermer. I'll take that as a compliment. Not many of these dregs hold respect for an officer like me."

"I...Right," Meeting her gaze, the tall man picked up on the words she left unsaid. _Not many people respect female officers in the Osladan Army._

"You'd better get going now, Schermer. I've got a lot to do and little time to do it if you're bothering me." Shooing the man away, Sergeant Kruum began pacing behind her row of recruits.

Rainer raised his hands in a placating manner before he backed away from the recruits. He spun around on his heel and made his way back to the barracks. _Captain Chavdarov should be back soon._ **Clunk-clunk!** A tall blur roughly pushed passed him as he walked. A frown found its way on to Rainer's features as the blur disappeared around a corner. _The least Ga'Avar could've done was say "Excuse me" or something of the sort._

 **Clack-clack.** Stepping into the barracks once more, the tall cavalier's eyes swept across the main hall. "Gone like a whisper..."

Suddenly, a pair of arms tightly wrapped around his shoulders. "There's my favorite statue man!"

Eyes widened slightly, Rainer released a sigh. "G-greetings, Miss Hadriana. I see you're as chipper as ever."

"Aw, you're still on your formality spiel..." Releasing her hold on him, Haddie bounded to his front. "You know I don't like that, right Rainy?"

 _And_ you _ought to know that I despise your discrimination toward Tigronians, yet you blissfully choose to ignore that fact._ Clenching his hands into fists, Rainer stepped away from the woman. "You really shouldn't jump so high just to reach my shoulders, Madam."

Haddie sighed and playfully shoved the rigid man before taking off down the hall, "Not _my_ fault you're unnaturally tall. C'mon, Vasko is waiting for us!"

Sighing, the tall man calmly strode after her. "We're supposed to call him Captain Chavdarov, regardless of our friendship with Gideon!"

"Quit being a stick in the mud and pick up the pace, Rainy!"

* * *

 **War Room**

"Reports from Challenger Division Forty-Four revealed more bandit sightings in the south." A short man clad in spiked, bulky armor stood across from Captain Chavdarov as Rainer and Haddie entered the room. "Chavdarov, we need to locate the threat and eliminate it immediately!"

Rubbing his chin, Captain Chavdarov waved his free hand dismissively at the purple-haired man. "Don't be ridiculous, Dragomir. Text book procedures won't help us here, especially with all these 'bandit' attacks."

"We can eliminate these ruffians easily, especially with reinforcements from Skjarn. Why do you hesitate?" The other captain questioned, banging the bottom of his spear against the floor.

"I'm not hesitating, I'm voicing my observation." Captain Chavdarov ran a hand through his greying red locks. "These bandit attacks along the southern border have become more frequent in the last year. No matter how many of them we slay, more will replace them."

"What does that matter?! We can keep on killing them with no real loss to ourselves!"

Rainer's eyes turned to the ground as the two captains argued. _Hm...I couldn't help but notice that as well during our latest patrol near Fort Bruudenheim._ Crossing his arms over his chest, the tall man tilted his head. _They also became increasingly more organized each time we encountered them further south at Fort Nagvald._ _Not to mention their equipment..._ Rainer narrowed his eyes and glanced at his companion. The mint-haired woman simply fiddled with the edges of her tunic that hung below her waist. Dark amber eyes went on to examine the war room. _Strange. Gideon isn't here. He must be in the library again.  
_

 **BANG!** "Quit being a nonsensical sissy, Chavdarov! The only option we have is to kill these bandits and let it be done with!"

The great knight rested his palms on the table between him and the purple-haired man. "Dragomir, don't be an ass! I am _telling_ you that it won't work!"

"Yet you won't give me a good reason why!" Captain Dragomir slammed his fist against the table again. "Bandit groups will continue to increase their numbers no matter what we do! Why should we care if hundreds of people die for their cause?! We are warriors of Oslad! We've got the strongest military in the land! Why does a few lives matter so much to you?"

 _This will earn me a two week's worth of lashing..._ Rainer stepped forward and cleared his throat. "May I add a few words concerning the matter, Captain Dragomir?"

The purple-haired man sneered, "Shove it, whelp! This is none of your damned business!"

"Leave him, Dragomir." Captain Chavdarov spat back, gesturing for the young man to step closer to the table. "You are free to speak, Schermer, but know you will be severely punished for interrupting our discussion."

"Understood, Captain," After he nodded his thanks, the tall man gestured to the map. "With all due respect, Captain Dragomir, your plan won't work because there is more to these bandits than you realize."

"The nerve of this insignificant—"

"Forgive me, Captain Dragomir, but I am not finished speaking." Rainer crossed his arms behind his back to hide his clenched fists. "During our patrols around Fort Bruudenheim and Fort Nagvald, I noticed that aside from larger numbers, our enemies began using more complex tactics to face us."

Dragomir shook his head. "So the fools learn from their mistakes? That doesn't mean anything."

"It does if they also begin to gather better equipment each time we face them. They're far more organized than any regular bandit group we've faced before. Don't you find it strange that rather than get weaker and weaker with the new recruits they bring in, these bandits become stronger and stronger instead? We're not facing 'bandits' anymore. These men and women are far more than we're bargaining for."

"Bah!" Captain Dragomir placed his hands on his hips and shook his head.

Captain Chavdarov gazed at Rainer curiously. "You noticed all that during our patrols?"

Rainer bowed his head respectfully. "Testing exercise or not, we need to remain vigilant."

"Hm..." Waving a hand to silence his colleague, Captain Chavdarov began stroking his chin again. "I thought all their actions were in my head. If we approach these supposed bandits the right way, perhaps we can eliminate the leader without wiping all of them out. Those men and women will prove to be a welcome addition to our military."

Taking a step back, Rainer returned to his place beside Haddie. She sent him an unreadable look before straightening her posture. _We ought to head into battle knowing as much as we can, not as little._ The tall man rolled his shoulders back with a heavy sigh. _The captains needed to know. I accept the punishments that will come after._ **BANG!** Rainer looked up to see the other captain leaning heavily against the table. Captain Dragomir sent the cavalier a dirty glare and grit his teeth. Before the purple-haired officer could speak, a pained cry echoed through the hall. Rainer's ears twitched beneath his helmet at the shout. _I know that voice._

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

Shoving Haddie and Rainer aside, Captain Chavdarov hurried out of the war room. "GIDEON?!"

Captain Dragomir turned to the guard in the room, "Gather more of the men right now and—"

 **RRROOOAAAR!**

Without hesitation, Rainer hurried on ahead of Haddie towards the sound. _That sounded like a Tigronian's roar..._ The tall man rushed passed Captain Chavdarov, coming to a stop at a hallway intersection. _Where did the sound c—_ **RRROOOAAAR!** _That answers that._ Taking off down the hall to his right, Rainer stormed into the Citadel's library. **CRASH! THUNK-THUNK! RRROOOAAAR!** His eyes immediately focused on a massive tiger with razor sharp canines. It twisted around the large room in a rage. _A Tigronian..._

 _Damn it, what the hell is this person thinking?!_ Frowning, Rainer prepared his lance and charged forward. His dark amber eyes briefly flicked over to the bloodied heap on the ground. _Gideon..._ Clenching his teeth, the cavalier twirled his weapon around and struck at the giant tiger's exposed abdomen. **Ssshhik!** In retaliation, the giant tiger used one of its paws to catch Rainer in the side. **RRROOOAAAR!** Rainer soared through the air; his flight went uninterrupted until his back slammed into a stone column. He fell back on the ground to his hands and knees.

"Dastard..." The cavalier wiped off the blood trickling down the corner of his mouth. "You won't defeat me that easily."

"GIDEON!" **Clunk-clunk!** Bursting through the library doors, and effectively breaking them apart, Captain Chavdarov held his axe at the ready with Haddie at his side. "WHERE IS MY SON?!"

Rainer staggered to his feet and retrieved his lance from the ground. "He's over there, by the Tigronian's left side!"

"NO! GIDDY, _GET UP!"_ Haddie readied her bow and nocked an arrow before advancing towards the giant tiger.

"M-my...my son..." The captain's voice cracked before a hard edge appeared in his eyes. "I'll make you pay for this! YOU DAMNED MONSTER!"

 _Monster..._ The lance-wielding cavalier repeated sorrowfully in his head. _A monster indeed._ He charged forward again; his head bowed down low. Out of the corner of his eye, Rainer saw Captain Chavdarov rushing in for an attack as well. Haddie remained at the edges of the battle; her arrows soared through the air and landed right on target. **Twang! Twang!** Time blurred past the group as Rainer and the captain struck at the Tigronian in a swirl of metal. **Thwack-thwack-thwack! FWAM! SLAM! FWAM!**

The giant tiger spun around, sweeping the captain and Haddie away with its tail. The mint-haired woman disappeared into the hallway as the officer's back slammed into a bookcase. _No, Haddie!_ Refusing to back down, Captain Chavdarov came back with an angry shout. The second time around, the Tigronian slammed both of its forepaws into the captain and sent him flying into the hallway. _Damn it, not the captain!_ Raising his lance, Rainer lunged forward and embedded the weapon's tip deep into the tiger's stomach. **Sssccchllick!** **RRROOOAAAR!** Once again, the tiger struck Rainer in the side and into a nearby bookcase.

As he pushed himself out of the fallen books, Rainer looked over at the tiger to see it revert into a familiar person. _Gods' Blood..._ Rainer resisted the agony that pulsed throughout his body; his steps determined to reach the prone Tigronian. **Cl-clack-clack. Cl-clack-clack.** _Walk without the limp, damn it!_ Despite his attempts, the cavalier continued to stumble forward. Once he reached the Tigronian, he ripped his lance out from the fallen man's gut.

"Ga'Avar... W-why? Why did you do this?" Rainer whispered harshly, throwing his lance to the side. "Relations between Tigronians and the humans here in Oslad won't improve with actions like yours!"

Clutching his bleeding gut, the Tigronian sneered. "Y-you of _all_ people ought to know why."

 _Me?! Does he know then?!_ Narrowing his eyes, Rainer stomped his foot beside the Tigronian's head. "Damn you! Tell me the truth."

"Bah, s-such...f-fierce words," Ga'Avar spat blood up at the cavalier as he struggled to his feet. "F-from...s-such...a...w-weak person."

"Enough with your word games!" Stepping back, the lance-wielder glared at the other man. "Tell me the truth! RIGHT! NOW!"

"YOU ALREADY KNOW THE TRUTH!" Sucking a deep breath, Ga'Avar removed his metal gauntlets and staggered back-and-forth in place. "Do not pretend any longer."

In the blink of an eye, the wounded Tigronian rushed forward and struck at Rainer's face with his sharp nails. **Shhik! Clank-clunk!** Stumbling back, Rainer felt his helmet leave his head. Blood flowed freely from three fresh claw marks on his face. He staunched the flow with one hand and glared at the wounded Tigronian. A smug smile broke through Ga'Avar's pained expression. _He knocked off my damned helmet..._ Rainer wiped his bloodied hand off on the edges of his shirt that hung from beneath his chestplate.

"N-now...now, I know." Ga'Avar hissed as he collapsed to his knees, "I know."

Brushing his dark teal hair back into place with his left hand, Rainer retrieved his helmet and put it back on. "Hmph."

Ga'Avar opened his mouth once more to speak but another voice interrupted him. "You'll pay for this, you scumbag!"

Haddie appeared in the middle of the doorway, blood trickling down the side of her face. **TWANG!** Her arrow soared through the air and struck true. Ga'Avar shuddered his last breath and fell forward. **Thud.** _You know now, but the secret dies with you as well._ Rainer turned to the fallen redhead nearby. _Gods, please let him still be alive._ A green-haired blur rushed passed him. He strode over to the fallen dark knight and spun him over with Haddie's help. The redhead opened his eyes in a pained squint. _Thank the gods..._ Gideon's features relaxed as he fully opened his eyes. He patted Rainer's upper arm before sending him a smile with bloodied teeth. Then, the wounded man looked to Haddie and wiped away the tears that fell down her cheeks.

 _I'd better let them have their moment..._ Rainer pulled away from the duo and walked toward Ga'Avar's corpse. He brushed the tips of his fingers against his closed right eye. _He_ knew _... He_ understood _that I wanted relations between Tigronians and humans to improve and yet..._ The cavalier screwed his left eye shut; he felt hot angry tears beginning to stream down his face. _He chose to walk a dangerous path. He_ chose _to be the monster that Osladans believe Tigronians to be!_ Rainer furiously wiped away his tears. _I won't shed tears for a monster._

Rainer felt his knees begin to buckle beneath him, but he remained standing. _I won't shed tears for myself._

* * *

 **Talk about drama, eh? Thanks for reading once again!**

 **Note: Rainer tends to use general honorifics and switches between them in conversations. It is a deliberate thing. "Sir/ Master [Name]" or "Madam/Ma'am/ Miss [Name]."**


	4. Two Years Ago Pt I

**Warnings: Language and Violence; one of the longest chapters for this story. Part I of II**

* * *

 **Three May Keep...**

 **Two Years Ago: The Outskirts of Fort Nagvald**

"All our planning has amounted to this! Why _can't_ they understand that!?" Rainer winced as he heard Captain Chavdarov yell inside a tent he and his friends passed.

Beside the cavalier, Haddie nudged Gideon in the side, " _Yikes_! Giddy, what's up with your dad?"

"Sometimes I wonder if even the gods understand him." Gideon sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "One moment he has everything under control, but the next moment he loses it all. I think all this stress is getting to him."

The tallest of the trio hummed thoughtfully. "I don't blame him. It's been _two_ years since Challenger Division Forty-Four reported these bandits' growing numbers. All this preparation is bound to set most people on edge."

Gideon nodded at Rainer's words, while Haddie pursed her lips. She murmured a few things to the side, which Rainer could barely discern even with his excellent hearing. The trio passed by multiple other tents on their way to their mounts. _Honestly, I'm more surprised that Captain Dragomir agreed to waiting for all this time. Two years is an eternity for him when it comes to possible bloodshed._ Once the familiar sight of their horses entered their line of vision, the trio separated from each other. As Rainer adjusted his steed's armor, he noted Gideon as he tightened Strider's saddle. Meanwhile, Haddie cooed at her mount and groomed his mane.

"Aw, poor Jigsy! His mane's all messed up." She ran her delicate fingers through Jigsy's thick mane.

Looking up from his work, Gideon sent his friend a smile. "That's why I made sure Strider was properly groomed the other night. No fuss right before battle for me _or_ her."

Haddie rolled her eyes and looked to Rainer for assistance. "Rainy, Giddy's being a smart-ass again!"

"Honestly," Rainer sighed and shook his head. _Sometimes, I love these guys and hate them at the same time._

"Hey, it's not _my_ fault you can't seem to plan ahead." The redhead pretended to pout.

"Oh, don't you even _start_ mister!"

 _Perhaps I should've tried to join the Warmaster Division after all. Adeline is far more calm compared to these two._ Rainer rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Master Gideon, Miss Hadriana, please! Save your anger and direct it at the enemy, _not_ at each other."

"Fine," Haddie stuck her tongue out at Gideon as she mounted her horse. "I'm going to get in formation."

Gideon mounted his horse as well and returned the gesture, " _Fine_. I should probably meet up with my father anyway."

"You two are incorrigible." As he too mounted his steed, Rainer rolled his eyes.

 _At least they have some form of coping with the upcoming battle._ The cavalier patted his horse's neck. _I wish it wasn't so childish though._ Rainer straightened up at guided his steed towards the camp. _They could say "Be careful out there," or "Stay safe."_ Anything _instead of a petty argument._ He sighed once more and focused on the task at hand. As he passed other cavaliers, Rainer looked at the back of his horse's head with a hum.

 _That reminds me...I've had this horse for_ years _and I still haven't given him a name._

* * *

Rainer adjusted his helmet as he brought his horse to a stop. _It's time to end this conflict!_ Up ahead, a loud battle cry erupted from Captain Chavdarov's lips as he raised his axe to the heavens. Rainer shouted along with his comrades in response to the captain's yell; together, the soldiers' voices boomed like thunder. Dozens of hooves clacked against the stone path in a rush.

"Press forward! Clear a way to the center!" Captain Chavdarov hurried forward with his son not too far behind. **Tabdak-tabdak! Tabdak-tabdak!**

As the two rode out of sight, Rainer heard the lieutenant barking out orders. "You heard the captain! Clear a way for him to get to the center! Balor, Ein, and Svendson, strengthen the charge to the west! Acerbi, Beryl, and Hainsworth, meet up with Ibani and aim your arrows at the bandits on the walls! The rest of you: pair up with Captain Dragomir's men and keep your weapons up!"

"Try not to die out there, Rainy!" Haddie called out as she and two others rode out to a hill which overlooked the battlefield.

Rainer nodded his head, "Same to you, Miss Hadriana." _I don't want her or Gideon to die today. Their views may differ from mine, but they're still my friends._

 **Cl-clunk-clunk.** "I heard we needed to partner up, Schermer. You up to backing me up?"

Turning his head to face the familiar voice, Rainer suppressed a friendly grin. "Miss Adeline, I believe _you_ need to prepare to keep up with _me_."

"That a challenge?" The strawberry blonde smirked as she placed her helmet on her head.

"A challenge like any other," Rainer bowed his head before offering a hand to the woman. "Navigator and I can get you into the action as quickly as possible though, to make things fair."

Taking his hand, Adeline climbed on to Navigator's back. "Didn't think you'd name your horse, Schermer. I figured you hated stuff like that."

"It took me a while to get creative." Shrugging, Rainer waited for his companion to place her hands on his shoulders. "Hold tight. Hyah!"

Adeline cried out in surprise; her grip tightened on the cavalier's shoulders. _Ack! I'm going to have bruises before the fighting even starts..._ Shaking his head, the man focused on his objective. Rainer's eye flicked from side-to-side, noting their enemies' locations. _Large group of sword-wielders approaching from the fort. Axe-wielders sparse, spread out in the field, already engaged in battle._ Rolling his shoulders back in attempt to regain some feeling in them, Rainer focused on the hole in their advance. _Tjader and Vang are dead; we need to fill in the gap before the our enemies use it to their advantage!_

Skidding to a stop by his comrades' corpses, Rainer felt Adeline let his shoulders go. **Thud!** "This is our stop, then? And here I was, thinking you could get us to the fort in one piece."

 _Ever the jester, hm?_ "I'm a cavalier _not_ a miracle worker, Miss Adeline. Nor am I a suicidal fool. I know my limits."

The woman snorted in response as she speared an approaching bandit in the gut. **Clang!** Rainer knocked a nearby bandit down to the ground before she could attack his comrade. Then, he turned his head to assess the field again. _Their forces are endless._ In the distance, he spotted an Osladan knight in the distance as he struck down two bandits. Three more appeared in the fallen bandits' stead and with twice as much vigor as their fallen comrades. _We possess strength, but these bandits will overcome us with numbers._ **Clank!** A sword smacked Rainer's arm and brought him back to his situation. _Focus! I'm a cavalier above all else._

 **Thwack!** Twirling his lance over head, Rainer rammed the polearm into whoever approached him. **Clang! Shhik!** Rainer brought his weapon to a stop after two swordsmen fell dead beside his steed. Beside him, he heard Adeline eliminate her foes with ease. **Clang! Schlick! Schlick! Clang! Clank-clank!** Each and every single one of her opponents fell without so much as a whimper. _I need to learn how to do that. At least, it'd make me feel better about all this..._ Rainer slammed the blade of his lance into a bandit's arm before he yanked it back. Another twirl of the lance overhead effectively brought the bandit down, along with two others. **Shhhink! Shhhink!**

"We're not going to clear a way for the captain at this rate!" Adeline yelled above the clashing of metal and spell slinging around them.

Rainer frowned, his eye flicking to assess the field once more. "The rest of the line is breaking. We need to find Lieutenant Graves or Lieutenant Kjorr!"

Grunting in effort as she struck down another bandit, Adeline spat at the ground. "Are you suggesting that we abandon our post?"

"I understand your hesitation, Miss Adeline." _Train strong, fight strong, die strong. A motto most Osladan soldiers live up to._ "However, we _must_ approach this with our brains as well as our brawn. A tactical retreat is nothing to be ashamed of."

Adeline furrowed her brow and sighed. "You're sure about this, Schermer?"

"As sure as I can be," The man nodded and extended a hand to her.

Right as Adeline took a step towards Rainer, a fireball streaked through the air between them. Navigator reared at the sight. _Whoa!_ Rainer tightened his grip on Navigator's reins while Adeline fell back into a battle stance. **Fwoom! Fwoom! Fwoom!** Ducking beneath another fireball, the cavalier's gaze trailed after the other two. _We_ need _to regroup, immediately._ Gently patting his steed's neck, Rainer turned to face his companion. Adeline's gaze met his for a brief moment.

Rainer offered his hand again, "Let's move out!"

"Go, Schermer," Adeline pushed his hand away before she smacked an approaching bandit down with her shield. "We need to hold the line for as long as we can, no matter what!"

"...Stay alive, Miss Adeline. You're too strong to die here." Turning Navigator away from the line, Rainer adjusted his grip on the reins.

"Same to you, Rainer." The strawberry blonde's voice took on a sad hollow tone. "Same to you."

The sound of Adeline's hollow laughter echoed behind Rainer as he left. _That's the first time she's said my name..._ **Tabdak-tabdak! Fwoom!** Jerking his head to the side, Rainer felt the heat of a fireball brush passed his shoulder. _Focus, fool! Their mages are far too aggressive. I must remain cautious._ The cavalier turned and then spurred his steed into a sprint across the battlefield. **Twang! Clang-clank!** All around him, the sounds of battle became a loud roar of sound. Steel clashed against steel, arrows soared through the air, and magic swirled around the field. _Lieutenant Graves should be near!_

Tugging on the reins to slow Navigator down, the cavalier struck down a nearby enemy swordsman. "Where is Lieutenant Graves?!"

"Schermer? What are you doing out of formation?! The line is weak enough as it is!" Another cavalier shouted back as he trampled over a mage. "Fall back in line!"

"We need to regroup, Ein!" Rainer sliced down two more bandits as Navigator reared away from the line. "At this rate, the bandits will have us overrun."

"Then so be it! We have our orders; we cannot disobey." Ein pulled a javelin off of his back and placed his lance in its holder on his steed's saddle.

Scowling, the amber-eyed cavalier jerked his steed further from the line, "Fool! Our sacrifice here will accomplish _nothing_. Where is the lieutenant?"

Ein hurled his javelin into an approaching group of bandits before he motioned to his right. "Lieutenant Graves went to reinforce our comrades covering our eastern flank."

Furrowing his brow, Rainer spurred Navigator on. _You cannot serve if you are dead; Osladan "honor" be damned._ As his steed galloped behind the line, the cavalier put his lance aside in its holder and unshouldered his bow. _Here's hoping my training paid off._ Rainer nocked an arrow in the bowstring; his eye focused on an enemy cavalier. **Twang!** The arrow cut through the air, only to strike the other cavalier's shoulder. _Damn it! I missed my target._ **Twang!** This time, the cavalier deflected the arrow. _I'll need to practice my bow skills once again..._

Rainer gripped Navigator's reins with one hand and turned his gaze toward the eastern end of the line. "Lieutenant Graves!"

"RRRRAH!" An bandit axeman suddenly appeared in front of the cavalier.

Navigator reared with a frightened whinny, knocking his rider off. **Thud.** Rainer scrambled back on his feet with a groan, slowly nocking an arrow. _Dastard!_ He loosed the projectile into the axeman's throat. _I'm always caught off-guard in the field..._ Another axeman appeared in his line of sight with a cavalier at his side. **Twang!** As the arrow buried itself into the axeman's thigh, the enemy cavalier charged forward. **CLANG!** Rainer landed hard on his back, the air forced out of his lungs.

Struggling on to his knees, the man gasped for breath. _No, not here..._ He nocked yet another arrow as the cavalier prepared for another charge. **Twang! CLANG!** Right as Rainer's arrow embedded itself into the cavalier's throat, the enemy soldier's horse rammed into him. The force of the cavalier's attack sent Rainer rolling backwards. The soldier came to a stop face down in the snow. _Damn..._ Somewhere to his right, he heard a horse whinny and something heavy fell into the snow. _Gods' Blood..._ Rainer weakly pushed himself up in time to see the axeman from earlier running toward him. The bandit raised his axe overhead.

"Nighty night, Osladan scumbag!" A malicious grin threatened to split the bandit's face in two.

Rainer pulled an arrow out of his quiver, "Overconfident fool!"

The wounded man rushed forward with a bout of adrenaline. He drove the metal tip of the arrow into the bandit's exposed neck, while the axeman feebly attempted to drive his axe into Rainer's shoulder. Rainer shoved the dying man away with a sneer. _Never underestimate an Osladan soldier._ The man shakily straightened up before whistling for his steed. With a groan of effort, he remounted Navigator and shouldered his bow once more. Rainer unclasped the satchel resting on his saddle and pulled out a round bottle. He took a brief sip from the bottle's contents before putting it away.

"Lieutenant Graves!" Rainer gripped tightly on to Navigator's reins, "Lieutenant!"

"Schermer?!" A middle-aged man's voice called out from the line.

Once he became closer to the line, Rainer slowed Navigator down into a trot. An amber eye immediately focused on to the soldier who wore a helmet with three horns. The horned soldier approached the cavalier; his black plate armor now sported multiple dents and bloodstains. Tarnished gold accents barely glinted beneath all the grime that rested on the middle-aged man.

"Adjutant Goransson, where is Lieutenant Graves?"

The adjutant stabbed the ground with his sword and leaned against it. "Lieutenant Graves died thanks to one of those damned mages! What the hell are you doing out of the line?"

 _I suppose this makes Goransson the next lieutenant, by field rules._ "Sir, we need to regroup our forces. We need find another way to handle the situation."

"Are you an idiot, Schermer?" Goransson hissed as he freed his sword from the ground. "Captain Chavdarov needs the line to clear a way to the fort!"

"We can't do that if we're all dead. The fight must be won with both our brains and our strength; our forces are rendered useless without a proper plan." The cavalier argued as he ducked beneath a stray arrow.

Frowning, the adjutant sighed. "You're a _cavalier_ , Schermer, not a damned _tactician; k_ now your place, you idiot! We are Osladans! We shall live up to our ancestors' honor! Train strong! Fight strong! _Die_ strong!"

 _Good thing I'm not Osladan by birth then._ "You honor your ancestors by dying like pigs headed for slaughter?"

"Silence, worm! If you refuse to do your duty, then you are already dead." Goransson turned away and rejoined the line.

 _No honor can be gained this way! Fighting smart and winning the battle is far better._ Narrowing his eye, the cavalier tugged on Navigator's reins and moved a few paces away from the line. Anger bubbled up within him; adrenaline thrummed through his veins. _That idiot! This will accomplish_ nothing _for our side!_ Rainer unshouldered his bow once again. **Twang!** A distant sword-wielder fell and clutched his bleeding thigh. **Twang!** **Twang!** An enemy cavalier's steed collapsed beneath her and sent her sprawling on to the ground. **Twang!** Rainer's next arrow found its way between the eyes of a bandit who ran toward the line.

"Press forward, my brothers and sisters! Today is the day we make our ancestors proud!" Gorannson bellowed above the sounds of battle.

A hundred of Osladan soldiers cheered at his cry. As one, the eastern part of the line began its advance. _No! No, are my comrades so foolish?!_ Rainer felt his stern expression fall into one of despair. He guided Navigator farther away from the line. Rainer took a deep, steadying breath. As the Osladans charged toward Fort Nagvald, numerous archers and mages began firing at them. **BOOM! BOOM!** A large chunk of the line fell beneath the bandit mages' wrathful fire. _I cannot sit idle!_

"Fools, do not charge! Do not make the charge!" Rainer roared; a hint of desperation almost made itself known in his cry.

None of his comrades showed any signs of slowing down.

The cavalier felt his steed jerk away from a stray fireball. "We cannot win this way! You must turn back and regroup!"

Suddenly, the soldier with a three-horned helmet fell at the front of the charge. Upon seeing the officer fall, some of the soldiers began to slow down. Others continued to charge along; their weapons steadfast and aimed at the enemy. More fell to hundreds of arrows raining down on them. **BOOM!** A loud anguished cry erupted from those who were caught in the mages' blast. _Why are these bandits so strong?!_

"Regroup our forces, you imbeciles! There is no shame in a tactical retreat!" Rainer shouldered his bow and prepared to head back. "Regroup at the western hills!"

One of the soldiers who stopped turned to her comrades. "You heard Schermer! To the western hills!"

* * *

 **Tabdak-tabdak! Tabdak-tabdak!** Coming to a stop near Tjader and Vang's corpses, Rainer searched the chaos for his comrade. "Miss Adeline!"

He freed his lance from its holster on Navigator's saddle. **Clang! Shhik! Cl-clank! Shhik! Shhik!** Rainer cut down multiple bandits as they approached him. _Where is she?!_ He twirled his lance on his right side and then his left side; some bandits left him alone in exchange for other targets. _These bandits will pay for this..._ The cavalier spurred his steed along and impaled his fleeing enemies. **Tabdak-tabdak!** Out of the corner of his eye, Rainer noted other cavaliers from the east pass him as they rushed for the hills. _I need to find Adeline!_

"Miss Adeline?!" He ducked beneath arrows aimed at his head. "Where are you?!"

Suddenly, Navigator whinnied and made a mad dash for the hills. His rider cried out in surprise and tightened his grip on the reins. _Gods' Blood, what is wrong with my horse?!_ **Tabdak-tabdak! Tabdak-tabdak!** Another cavalier appeared beside him; this one wore dark grey armor with bloodred accents. Rainer's comrade gestured to the hills, as if telling the man to focus on them. His insides seemed to drop as he remembered Adeline. _Forgive me, my friend..._

Once the two met up with the others, Osladan archers who were stationed there picked off the bandits who followed. Rainer heard a familiar whoop as arrows launched into the air. _Hadriana must be more than happy to kill them._ Climbing off his steed, Rainer looked to his comrades. _Very few of us chose to come here._ Some collapsed into the snow on their knees. Others threw off their helmets in anger. A soldier or two sat in the snow and cried into their hands. _Five, six... Ten, thirteen... Twenty five..._

"Fifty of our brothers and sisters remain." Rainer sighed and looked to the other cavalier. "We need to fight smarter than ever before."

Nodding, the other cavalier dropped down from his steed. "I hope you can forgive me for spurring your horse on for you."

"No harm done." _For the most part._ "It's good to know someone's at my back. Rainer Schermer, Vanguard Division Twenty-Four."

"Brynjar Nystrom, Challenger Division Thirty-One." Brynjar removed his helmet to reveal a man younger than Rainer. "Captain Linaeus sent us in to assist. They should provide enough time for you and the others to regroup."

 _Challenger Division?_ Rainer eyed the other man. "Most of your fellows are knights, not cavaliers."

"I was to be transferred to Vanguard Division Three." Brynjar motioned for his comrade to follow. "Come on, let's find the man who told us to retreat here."

 _That would be me..._ "Right," Rainer crossed his arms behind his back.

* * *

"Our ancestors would be ashamed! We should've stayed in the charge!" A soldier grumpily muttered.

Another smacked him upside the head as she motioned to the hill behind them. "If we stayed, then we would've died for nothing."

"We would've died for the king's service! What better way is there?" A third soldier cried.

The first soldier scoffed at the woman. "Hell, even Lieutenant Kjorr died in battle! All we had left was Adjutant Rylo and no one knows where _he_ went!"

"What of Captain Chavdarov or Captain Dragomir?" Beside him, the female soldier paid close attention.

Shrugging, the first soldier scratched the back of his neck, "Who knows? At least _they're_ fighting."

Rainer observed the argument from far away. _I need to speak carefully when I reveal myself._ He noticed Brynjar pass by him. In the distance, Rainer saw Hadriana riding down towards the valley with three other archers. She waved at him. Rainer offered a single wave in return before he made his way to the soldiers. _I am prepared to face whatever consequences arise._ He took a deep breath and continued through the crowd. Rainer stopped halfway up the hill from where they came.

"Brothers-and-sisters-in-arms!" Rainer spoke loudly and gestured for his comrades to listen. "Honorable Osladans, and comrades, listen to me! I understand your anger and your confusion. These circumstances aren't ideal, especially as soldiers of Oslad."

"Damn right!" A woman cried out, causing others to react in a similar fashion. "We ought to be fighting!"

"Peace, my comrades, be peaceful." The cavalier put his arm up to gesture of silence. "You have every right to be angry. Retreating means to dishonor the warriors of the past. You have every right to want to keep on fighting. Our training brought us this far!"

People cheered at the statement as Brynjar came to stand at the front of the crowd. He crossed his arms and tilted his head in curiosity. _I need to approach this like orators of the past. If I get move them with words, perhaps they will survive this._ Rainer cleared his throat. He paced along the hillside before gesturing for silence once again. _A few white lies shouldn't hurt; it'll get them to listen._

"Our ancestors fought and died for this land. They trained as strongly as we did! They fought as strong as we do now! They died strong so that their future stood stronger than they did! We ought to honor them as much as we can!"

A man yelled from the crowd. "My grandmother Bella stood strong and so will I!"

Pausing for the crowd to cheer, Rainer nodded. "Feel proud that you stand ready for battle as they once did! However, you must know that charging in without abandon is _not_ our way!"

The crowd fell into silence.

"Our ancestors died on the field; yes, with the strength of thousands in each man and woman. Our ancestors fought as hard as they could; yes, until their muscles quivered and their bones shattered. Our ancestors trained for this; yes, they knew what would come at the end. However, they approached the battle with even more vigor than we do! They didn't fight to die for the king! They fought to _win_ for him!"

Murmurs spread throughout the crowd of soldiers.

Rainer stepped closer to his comrades and raised his voice. "We ought to fight for victory! Push forward as though King Toborn himself were here with us! Our honor will come to us as we survive and honor our past with multiple victories!"

As his voice rang out throughout the hills, the others remained silent. Rainer felt his heart sink. _They are going to kill me for this._ The cavalier took a step away from his comrades. Rainer sighed and gestured to the hill behind him. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to find the right thing to say. _I've done what I can; the rest is up to them._ Shaking his head, the cavalier whistled for his steed. **Tabdak-tabdak!** Navigator whinnied before he stopped next to his rider.

"You all have a reason to be angry, so go ahead and be angry. Become angry at me for calling the retreat, for urging you all to abandon your posts. However, for now, you must direct your anger at the enemy. We must strike them while they cannot see us!" Rainer climbed on to his steed. "Proceed to the north and then cross over the hills once more. By using this valley, we can flank our enemy and pave a way to the fort once more."

Before he could leave, Rainer felt someone grab his shoulder. "Don't forget about me, Rainy!"

"Miss Hadriana!" He turned his head to see Haddie wearing a tight smile which didn't reach her eyes. "Are you...?"

"I'm fine." The mint-haired woman avoided his gaze. "I saw Giddy and Vasko break through the enemy line with some others. We need to move."

 _Gideon is always making this poor girl worry._ "I understand; we'll move out soon."

 **Tabdak-tabdak!** "Let's get on with it then!" Brynjar shouted as he climbed on to his steed.

Rainer whipped his head around to see his comrades preparing for battle once more. _They actually listened to that poor excuse of a speech?_ He hid his surprise beneath a calm facade. Then, the man raised his lance high in the air and spurred his horse forward. _My comrades are with me; we cannot afford to fail._ Dozens of hooves stomped against the snow behind him.

* * *

Coming to a stop on top of the northern most hill, Rainer motioned for his comrades to pause. Beside him, Haddie prepared her bow and arrow. A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes. **Tabdak-tabdak!** Brynjar caught up to the duo at the front. He narrowed his eyes at the distant fort. Rainer spared a glance at the soldiers behind him. Many seemed to look at him differently than before. _They're going to have me hanged for this once this is over._ A handful of knights and Tigronians stood out from the crowd.

Rainer hummed thoughtfully and refocused on Fort Nagvald. "It seems our enemies have left this side unguarded."

"Isn't that what you were hoping for?" Haddie peered at him curiously.

 _Of course I did._ "Yes, but considering what we faced on the other side of the fort... They could've been prepared."

"Let's strike then, before they wise up." Brynjar growled, unsheathing his sword.

Haddie nodded, "Let's do this!"

Rainer raised his arm and stopped the two from moving. "Approach this with caution. Just because the gates seem undefended doesn't mean we can charge in blindly."

"What do you suggest, Rainy?"

The cavalier turned his steed to face the fifty soldiers behind him. "We're going to need to pair up. Knights and Tigronians need to pair up with mounted units to cover more ground."

A young man closest to the trio scoffed. "Like hell I'll—"

"You _will_ pair up with either a knight or a Tigronian, whether or not you like it!" Rainer snapped, his eye narrowed. "Once we're at a close enough distance, the knights and Tigronians will take the lead. The knights' defenses should be enough to shield most of us from archers. Meanwhile, Tigronians will use their strength and speed to maul the gates with support from our mages and archers."

Brynjar tilted his head from side-to-side. "You're sure this will work?"

 _Better than all of us charging in at once, sad to say._ "It has to."

"Very well," The other cavalier guided his horse back towards the others. "Find a partner and stick together!"

Haddie's face contorted into a strange expression. _This is the only way._ Rainer briefly regarded her before he too went to partner up. _Regardless of our prejudices, we need to be a unit._ He guided Navigator in front of a Tigronian and helped him on to the saddle. The Tigronian latched his hands on to Rainer's shoulders; his sharp nails almost pierced through the plate armor. _Every single time... If it isn't me falling off a horse, then it's someone else gripping too tightly on my shoulders._ Rolling his shoulders back, the cavalier sent his comrade a glance.

"Rainer Schermer, at your service." Rainer smiled gently at his comrade. "Pleasure to meet you, Sir."

The Tigronian hesitantly smiled back. "Ry'Mano. Good to meet you."

"We're going to be fine," The cavalier tightened his grip on Navigator's reins. "Trust me."

An unsure expression found its way across Ry'Mano's features, "I'll try."

* * *

"We're almost at the gates!" Shouting to the rest of his company, Rainer moved his right hand to his lance. "Prepare to engage the enemy!"

Ry'Mano tensed behind him. "What enemies?"

Rainer shrugged, "Better to be alert than complacent. Get ready; you and the other Tigronians are the most important parts of our plan."

"Break down the gates," Ry'Mano murmured before he nodded. "It shall be done."

The Tigronian leaped off of Navigator's back in one seamless motion. He rolled his shoulders back and tilted his head back-and-forth. Ry'Mano took a deep breath before he brought his fists close to his chest. Rainer raised an eyebrow. _He must be more nervous than I thought._ **RRROOOAAAR!** _Ah, my mistake._ Ry'Mano swung his arms to his side in a swift motion as his body structure shifted into a massive tiger. Rainer noted the familiar Osladan styled shoulder plates remained on Ry'Mano, as well as other few pieces of his armor. _Let's hope that will be enough to protect him._

Eight other roars erupted from the line behind Rainer.

"Knights, into formation!" Rainer guided his steed away from the gates as the Tigronians made their move.

 **Tabdak-tabdak!** **Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!** As knights passed him, the cavalier fell into line with the others. **Tabdak-tabdak!** A glance to the side revealed Brynjar with his sword unsheathed. The other man nodded his head and raised his shield. _Haddie must be with the other ranged units._ Rainer turned to face the farthest line away from the gates. Haddie sat tall at the head of the final line; her bow nocked and ready. Meanwhile, other archers and the few mages in their ranks watched the woman intently.

"Rainer," Brynjar hissed from his position. "Do you think our units will make a dent?"

With a shrug, the other cavalier hummed. "With luck, the split in our enemies' focus will be an advantage."

Suddenly, Fort Nagvald's gates swung open. _Gods' Blood, what is it now?!_ Furrowing his eyebrows, Rainer tightened the grip on his reins. The nine Tigronians leaped away from the opened gates with an almost collective roar. _Did they plan for this to happen?_ He and his comrades sat with bated breath. Some of the knights shifted uncomfortably in their defensive position. Before anyone could move out of line, an odd sound came from within the fort. **Fwa-fwa-voo! Fwa-fwa-voo!** _Why does that sound familiar?_

"Wyvern riders are coming up out of the fort!" A cavalier to Rainer's left cried out.

 _A well-aimed arrow should deal with the problem effectively._ "Hold your ground!"

To Rainer's right, Brynjar turned to glance at the unit's rear. "We've got bandits coming up behind us!"

"Archers!" Haddie's voice echoed behind him, followed by the sound of bowstrings being pulled back.

Rainer clenched his teeth. _What have I gotten us into?_

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Questions, comments? Constructive criticism? All are welcome, should you decide to spare your free time to provide them.**

 **NOTE: I edited chapter 2 so that Strider was mentioned to be a mare, so I did not make a mistake earlier in this passage. Also, the 'speech' Rainer gave was based on what I learned from Shakespeare's** ** _Julius Caesar_** **. Funny how people in that reacted in almost the** ** _exact_** **same way Antony described they would.**

 **"Oh, if you knew what I knew, you would riot." And they did. (That's not a direct quote.)**

 **Rainer's speech was my attempt to emulate that.**


End file.
